Trowel device

ABSTRACT

A trowel device for use with a finishing apparatus including a float trowel member having a leading edge and a trailing edge and a pair of side edges, and a finish trowel member having a leading edge and a trailing edge and a pair of side edges mounted on the float trowel member, and the trailing edge of finished trowel member extending outwardly of and overlying the trailing edge of the float trowel member so as to be engageable with a work surface for finishing operations without removal of the float trowel member.

United States Patent Babic TROWEL DEVICE Whiteman ..94/45 A 15] 3,683,761 Aug. 15, 1972 Primary Examiner-Jacob L. Nackenoff Attorney-Team, Teare & Sammon 57 ABSTRACT A trowel device for use with a finishing apparatus including a float trowel member having a leading edge and a trailing edge and a pair of side edges, and a finish trowel member having a leading edge and a trailing edge and a pair of side edges mounted on the float trowel member, and the trailing edge of finished trowel member extending outwardly of and overlying the trailing edge of the float trowel member so as to be engageable with a work surface for finishing operations without removal of the float trowel member.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDms 15 m2 INVENTOR. ANTHONY T BAB/C BY 'flffi ggaft my ATTORNEYS TROWEL DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to trowel devices, and more particularly relates to an improved construction for a float trowel device for use with a finishing apparatus of the type for finishing cement floors or the like. This invention constitutes an improvement over the type of float trowel device described in the U.S. Pat. to Whiteman No. 2,662,454.

Heretofore, it has been known to provide various types of finishing apparatus or machines for finishing cement floors or the like which have generally included float shoes or trowels in combination with finish blades adapted to be rotated about a vertical central axis for finishing. Ordinarily, a handle is attached to the machine to facilitate its operation over the cement floor to be finished and has generally included a mechanism for tilting the device so that the trowels can be tilted while being rotated in order to impart the desired finish.

In such prior devices, however, after the floating operation, it was generally necessary to stop the machine and remove the float trowel in order to convert the machine into a finishing machine to perform the finishing operation. Moreover, upon completion of the finishing operation, it was necessary to again replace the float trowel over the finished trowel in order to perform the next floating operation. Accordingly, such prior arrangements were unsatisfactory from a number of standpoints. More particularly, the replacement of parts in such prior devices were not only cumbersome and awkward to perform, but were time consuming and often times resulted in difficulties in achieving a uniform operation between the floating and finishing steps by reason of the delay due to the required conversion of parts. Since the cement is generally in a wet condition preparatory to finishing, it is important to minimize the delay between the floating and finishing operations so as to obtain a uniform, smooth finish, particularly over expansive work areas.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A trowel device for use with a finishing apparatus comprising, a float trowel member having a leading and a trailing edge and a pair of side edges, 21 finished trowel member having a leading edge and a trailing edge and a pair of side edges detachably mounted on said float trowel member, and the trailing edge of said finished trowel member extending outwardly of and overlying the trailing edge of said float trowel member so as to be engageable with a work surface for finishing without removal of said float trowel member.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, subsequent description and accompanying drawings, it will be seen that the present invention provides a new and improved construction for a float trowel device which includes, in combination, a finish trowel member which can be employed simultaneously or concurrently with the float trowel member for concurrently performing the floating and finishing operations.

By this arrangement, the float trowel can be expeditiously employed with the finish trowel and vice versa without having to remove and/or replace either component during normal usage thereof. Accordingly, in

the invention the finish trowel has a trailing edge which can be employed for the finishing operation upon slight tilting movement of the trowel device which can be quickly and easily reversed to present a normally leading edge which can then be employed as the trailing edge in a similar manner for performing the finishing operation upon wear or damage to the working edge. Accordingly, the present invention provides a simple, yet rugged construction for a combination float and finish trowel device which can be readily mounted for use with conventional type finishing machines with a minimum amount of time and effort to achieve a uniform, smooth surface finish.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a generallyperspective view of one of the float trowel members of the invention in position to receive a finish trowel member in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a generally perspective view looking generally at the bottom or working side of the mounted finish and float trowel members of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical section view taking through the float and finish trowel members in the installed position thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring again to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is illustrated the trowel device, designated generally at 2, of the invention which incorporates, in combination, a float trowel member 4 and a finish trowel member 6 which are conjointly adapted for attachment to a conventional type finishing machine, as known in the art.

In the form shown, the float trowel member 4 includes a generally planar or flat base 8 which may be of a polygonal, such as rectangular shape, in top plan view. The base 8 includes a leading edge 10, a trailing edge 15 and a pair of side edges 12 and 14. As shown, the leading edge 10 and the side edges 12 and 14 are bent upwardly and outwardly from the general plane of the base 8 to provide a recess-like construction between such edges. Accordingly, such arrangement facilitates performing the floating operation without digging into the wet cement. Preferably, the base 8 includes a trailing edge 15 which is of a generally linear construction so as to be disposed in the general plane of the base 8.

In the form shown, the finished trowel member 4 may be provided with a cross-piece or bridging member 16 which extends transversely across the base 8 and which has a pair of integral downwardly bent flanges l8 and 20 which extend downwardly so as to terminate approximately adjacent the confronting side edges 12 and 14. The bridging member is provided with a downwardly and outwardly extending flange 22 (FIG. 3) which may be suitably attached, as by weldments or the like, to the base 8. Preferably, the bridging member 16 provides with the base 8 and the flange 22 a generally U-shaped recess adapted to receive therein a portion of the finish trowel member 6, as will be described hereinafter.

In the form shown, the float trowel member 4 has an overall length of approximately 18 inches and a widthwise dimension of approximately 6% inches, as illustrated at B of FIG. 3.

To provide a detachable mounting of the float trowel member 4 with the finish trowel member 6, a suitable locking device, designated generally at 24, may be provided on the bridging member 16 of the float trowel member 4. In the form shown, the device 24 includes an elongated resilient spring arm which may be attached at one end by means of loop-like straps 26 cutout from the material of the bridging member 16. The spring arm is provided at its other end with a generally Z-shaped detent construction for snap-acting coacting engagement with an abutment portion provided on the finish trowel member 6.

As shown, the finish trowel member 6 includes a generally planar or flat base 30 which is of a polygonal, such as rectangular shape, in top plan view. An elongated abutment member 32 in the form of a polygonal block may be secured to the upper side of the base 30 which is adapted to receive the detent portion 28 of the spring arm in overlying interlocking snap-action coacting engagement therewith so as to retain the float trowel member 4 in assembled position with the finish trowel member 6. The base 30 of the finish trowel member 6 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed, generally parallel side edges 34 and 36 and a generally linearly extending leading edge 38 and a generally parallel, linearly extending trailing edge 40 which together are disposed in the general plane of the base 30.

In the installed position, the finish trowel member 6 may be inserted into the float trowel member 4 so that the leading edge 38, dimension side edges 34 and 36 of the finish trowel member are disposed in overlying nested engagement on the corresponding leading edge and side edges l2 and 14 of the float trowel member 4 so that the base 30 of the finish trowel member is disposed in superposed, spaced relation above the base 8 of the float trowel member 4. Preferably, this distance (h) is preferably between about one-sixth to one-eighth inch, as best seen in FIG. 3. Accordingly, the downwardly extending portion of the flange 22 provides an abutment or stop surface, as at 42 FIG. 3, to limit forward movement of the finish trowel member with respect to the float trowel member while the detent portion 28 of the spring arm 24 prevents rearward movement between the parts with the flanges l8 and of the bridging member 16 preventing lateral shifting movement between the parts in the installed position thereof.

In the form shown, the finish trowel member 6 has a lengthwise dimension of approximately 175, inches with a widthwise dimension of approximately 6 inches. Accordingly, in the installed position, the trowel device 2 has a widthwise dimension A (FIG. 3) of approximately 8 inches. Preferably, in the invention the trailing edge 40 of the finish trowel member 6 is disposed outwardly of and in overlying relation with respect to the corresponding trailing edge 15 of the float trowel member 4. Preferably, the trailing edge 40 overlies the corresponding trailing edge 15 by approximately l5; inches, as shown at C of FIG. 3. Accordingly, the ratio of the width of the base 8 of the float trowel member 4 to the corresponding extent of the overlying portion of the base 30 of the finish trowel member 6 is approximately 4:1 so that the trailing edge 40 overlies the corresponding trailing edge 15 of the float trowel member 4 by approximately 25 percent. Accordingly, by this arrangement, the remainder or approximately percent of the finish trowel member 6 is disposed in supported engagement on the float trowel member 4 to provide maximum strength and rigidity between the parts during usage thereof. Furthermore, this arrangement provides adequate working area on the finish trowel member so that the trailing edge 40 thereof can provide the finishing operation without removal of the float trowel member 4 by slight tilting of the trowel device during use.

If desired, the trailing edge 15 of the float trowel member 4 can be bent slightly upwardly to reduce any drag with respect to the surface to be finished. Accordingly, the predetermined spacement (h) between the respective base portions 8 and 30 of the float 4 and finish 6 trowel members enables the trailing edge 40 to be brought into finishing engagement with the work surface upon slight tilting movement of the trowel device so as to afford a clear demarcation between the floating and finishing operations. Accordingly, by this arrangement, the floating operation can be efficiently employed substantially simultaneously with the finishing operation or vice versa without having to stop the finishing machine for replacement and/or reversal of the parts.

I claim:

1. A trowel device for use with machines of the type for finishing cement structures, concrete structures or the like comprising a finish trowel member arranged for attachment to said machine,

a float trowel member mounted on said finish trowel member,

said float trowel member including a generally flat base defined by a leading edge, a trailing edge, and oppositely disposed side edges, said float trowel base being bent upwardly and outwardly adjacent said leading edge and said side edges forming a recess-like construction such that said leading edge and said side edges are offset out of the general plane of said base, said finish trowel member being of a planar construction including a flat base defined by a leading edge, a trailing edge and a pair of side edges.

said side edges of said'finish trowel member being disposed in the general plane of said base of said finish trowel member and disposed in seating engagement with the bent up portion of said base of said float trowel member, adjacent said side edges of said float trowel member such that said base of said finish trowel member is supported in nested, spaced relation above said base of said float trowel member with the general plane of said base of said float trowel member extending in generally parallel relation with respect to the general plane of said base of said finish trowel member,

snap-action locking means detachably mounting said float trowel member to said finish trowel member, and

a minor portion, by area, of said base of said finish trowel member extends outwardly beyond and in upwardly offset overlying relation with respect to wherein the respective trailing edges of said float and finish trowel members are disposed in generally parallel relation with respect to one another in the installed position thereof.

3. A trowel device in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the trailing edge of said finish trowel member overlaps the corresponding trailing edge of said float trowel member by at least 25 percent.

4. A trowel device in accordance with claim 1,

wherein said float and finish trowel member are of a generally rectangular shape, in top plan, having approximately the same widthwise dimension, and

said finish trowel member being mounted in off-set lateral relation on said float trowel member so that the ratio of the exposed working surface of said float trowel member to that. of said finish trowel member is approximately 4:1. 

1. A trowel dEvice for use with machines of the type for finishing cement structures, concrete structures or the like comprising a finish trowel member arranged for attachment to said machine, a float trowel member mounted on said finish trowel member, said float trowel member including a generally flat base defined by a leading edge, a trailing edge, and oppositely disposed side edges, said float trowel base being bent upwardly and outwardly adjacent said leading edge and said side edges forming a recess-like construction such that said leading edge and said side edges are offset out of the general plane of said base, said finish trowel member being of a planar construction including a flat base defined by a leading edge, a trailing edge and a pair of side edges. said side edges of said finish trowel member being disposed in the general plane of said base of said finish trowel member and disposed in seating engagement with the bent up portion of said base of said float trowel member, adjacent said side edges of said float trowel member such that said base of said finish trowel member is supported in nested, spaced relation above said base of said float trowel member with the general plane of said base of said float trowel member extending in generally parallel relation with respect to the general plane of said base of said finish trowel member, snap-action locking means detachably mounting said float trowel member to said finish trowel member, and a minor portion, by area, of said base of said finish trowel member extends outwardly beyond and in upwardly offset overlying relation with respect to said trailing edge of said float trowel member to enable the trailing edge of said finish trowel member to engage a work surface for finishing thereof upon angular movement of said device by said machine with respect to said work surface obviating the necessity of removing said float trowel member from said finish trowel member during normal use thereof.
 2. A trowel device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the respective trailing edges of said float and finish trowel members are disposed in generally parallel relation with respect to one another in the installed position thereof.
 3. A trowel device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the trailing edge of said finish trowel member overlaps the corresponding trailing edge of said float trowel member by at least 25 percent.
 4. A trowel device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said float and finish trowel member are of a generally rectangular shape, in top plan, having approximately the same widthwise dimension, and said finish trowel member being mounted in off-set lateral relation on said float trowel member so that the ratio of the exposed working surface of said float trowel member to that of said finish trowel member is approximately 4:1. 